Sunday, 28 December 2014

You
are reading this blog, so it is safe to assume that you are a regular
participant in the social media world. You are not alone. The world has
embraced the social media phenomenon as a means of communication and
sharing. As an author, I share my thoughts through my books, and comment
on life, purpose and the world, in hopes of connecting with kindred
spirits and offering hope and insight to my readers. I also maintain a
number of blogs (Common Sense, Legacy of Dreams,
etc). These blogs provide the opportunity to express myself, and to
focus on my interests and on writing. I can engage other authors and
aspiring writers, and share my interests and opinions with people who
browse blogs and participate in social media.

It is true that social media, blogging and other internet
sharing provide value to the world, but that value does come at a price.
There are a number of things that concern me about the world of
blogging and social media, and I will share a few concerns with you
here.

First, I believe that those who come after the Millennial
generation will suffer the consequences of being raised on social media.
Already, we see the results of social media fever, in the form of arm's
length socializing, poor social skills and shortened attention spans.
Our children are less able to socialize face-to-face and less likely to
get out there and exercise, or discover the world on their own terms. We
play games online and even select prospective romantic partners. How
many times have you gone out to dinner and watched the people at the
next table texting or looking at their phones instead of talking to each
other?

Then there's the problem of anonymity. We no longer have
to face the people we talk to, so we can remain anonymous when we snipe
at others and revel in character assassination. That anonymity has
blossomed into intolerance for other people's opinions and polarized the
world, rather than showing us our commonality.

Reading blogs,
getting news online and browsing through social media sites also
creates a crowd mentality that suppresses the natural human tendency to
think for oneself. We read something and assume that the person
expressing an opinion is an expert, or they have more information about
the topic than we do, and therefore we should listen to that person. In
many cases, that is a rash assumption!

Lastly, social media and
blogging has accelerated the decline of grammar, spelling and good
writing. We always seem to be in a hurry to express our opinion, so we
don't bother to choose just the right word to describe how we feel. Our
vocabulary is shrinking, and our spelling, punctuation, capitalization
and grammar is appalling! That might not seem to be a big deal, but
exposure to good writing and a good turn of phrase creates
thought-provoking debate, and conversation. Eloquent writing and speech
encourage independent thinking, and expression, and nurture the next
generation of writers, artists, poets and thinkers.

So, get
out there in the world and experience life for yourself, rather than
seeing the world through the filter of social media. And, the next time
you jump online, take the time to think about what you are reading, and
form your own opinions. Then, think carefully about what you want to
say, and express yourself with eloquence, maturity and respect.
Blogging, social media and mass communication do not have to contribute
to the downfall of civilization. Rather, these tools can be used to
encourage intelligent thought, rumination and eloquence of expression!

Susan Obijiski is the author of the 'Legacy of Dreams' metaphysical, fiction book series, including, 'Dreams of the Many', and 'Dreams of the Few', as well as a contributing author for 'Sedona Awakenings'. She lives in beautiful Sedona, Arizona with her husband.

Renowned New York stage actor Brody Murphy must put aside his life and
career, and step into a dream world to rescue Casey Wheeler. After seven
years of sobriety, and a new life with his wife and son, Brody is faced
with the prospect of returning to the nightmare world he once escaped.

Once again, renowned
New York stage actor Brody Murphy must put aside his life and career, and step into
a dream world to rescue Casey Wheeler. After seven years of sobriety, and a new
life with his wife and son, Brody is faced with the prospect of returning to
the nightmare world he once escaped. But this time the stakes are even higher;
without Brody's help, Casey is likely to die.

This journey will be
the most challenging of Brody's life. No one can help him find Casey and return
the boy from the desolate landscape of the dream. While his friends and loved
ones attempt to support him from afar, Brody grapples with sobriety, repressed
memories, and a lifetime of fears and demons that threaten to sabotage Casey's
rescue and the very fabric of Brody's sanity.

Can Brody find Casey
before it is too late? Can Casey and Brody emerge from the nightmare, whole and
unbroken?

Dreams of the Few is a
story of friendship, love and devotion. It is a reminder that our purpose in
life is to learn, and that we learn best from our trials and challenges.

"Remember, it is
not the destination, but rather the journey that is the lesson and the
prize."

Monday, 22 December 2014

When a publisher said they wanted to publish my book back in 2012, I thought I’d landed in writers’ heaven. I road euphoria waves for months, but my starry-eyed dreams about my publishing experience became tarnished.

As a young aspiring writer, I had visions of an amazing editor and publicist who’d love and coach me, being sent on tour by my publishing company, and lines of fans at the bookstores who’d camped out hours before just to have me sign their books. Unrealistic? Perhaps, but it was my dream and I’d clung to it for years.

My aspirations changed the moment I got an email from my publisher saying I was the best person to market my book, along with the eBook Guerilla Marketing. Wait? What? I had to send out my own review requests, take myself on tour, and find my own readers? Suddenly the percentage they were taking didn’t seem in my favor.

My traditional publishing experience made me realize (1) the industry wasn’t what I thought and (2) I had a lot to learn about the art of publishing.

I entered the self-publishing world without my rose covered glasses and discovered hard truths about the industry, the people in it, and myself. I love the control self-publishing gives me, but it wreaks havoc on my life in ways I didn’t expect or anticipate.

I’m going into my third year of publishing and with all its challenges, joys, disappointments, and craziness, I wouldn’t change it. My experiences with traditional and self-publishing strengthened me and my love for writing. The journey showed me I didn’t have to wait until I retired to pursue a writing career and even with all the ups and downs, authors have more options today than twenty years ago that work in our favor.

If you’re just starting your journey, I have one main advice. DON’T GIVE UP! This industry will chew you up and spit you out, but if you love to write you’ll make it through.

Her plans to become
the first woman from the Cayman Islands to race internationally gets
sidetracked when she’s injured and pulled from the final race because of
a fiery confrontation with another driver.

Life goes from bad
to worse when the racetrack owner is killed and she’s suspect number one
because his death puts her back in the race. But racing again proves
difficult when Dr. Jackson Wilson insists she stop racing until she
heals, making her wonder if his ‘doctor’s orders’ don’t have ulterior
motives-the racetrack owner was his friend.

She and Jackson
search for the truth behind the murder when accidents start happening at
the racetrack, and an adoring fan gets too close. Soon the simmering
attraction between her and Jackson boils over, forcing her to admit
Jackson makes her think of a life beyond racing.

Elke was born and raised on Grand Cayman and lives there with her husband and two kids who keep her on her toes.

She’s a cof­fee­holic, check­list fanatic, and future space explorer. She has a sarcastic/quirky sense of humor and loves meet­ing new people. When not writing, she's helping other writers in Cayman through her organization CayWriters.

The author of For the Love of Jazz and Deadly Bloodlines, book one in her Deadly Series. She stumbled into writing romantic suspense because of her fascination with serial killers, but writes other genres because characters keep telling her their stories and she's a sucker for a crazy story.

What people say about Elke:

“Elke knows how to create a page turner and will leave you begging for more”.“Elke is an up and coming author to watch”. Click for an excerpts of Deadly Races:

Friday, 5 December 2014

s
we all know, times are ever changing, ever improving. When I was a kid growing
up in the 80s, I had no clue the Internet was on its way in with a vengeance!
And in the early 90s when I discovered and fell in love with Sidney Sheldon
books, I couldn't have imagined that one day I'd have the ability to simply
boot up a laptop and shoot him a hero-worshipping e-mail—which I did many years
later and nearly keeled over when he actually replied personally!

So connecting, bonding and sharing our passions
with each other has never been easier—or more fun—than it is today. I remember
when you actually had to sit down, write letters, lick their envelopes, then stamp
and mail them off to New York publishing houses c/o of your favorite authors to
let them know just how much you loved their books, or even to invite them to a
conference call with your book club.

And as a writer, it's amazing to be able
to get a kick in the proverbial butt from your readership when you've spent a
little too much time in the procrastination currents and not enough in the flow
of inspiration and creativity. As such, RAINDROPS ON ROSES is my first novel in
eight years! The Great Betrayal came
out in late 2006, and since then there've been several dedicated fans who've
found me on Goodreads, Facebook, or on my website asking whether or not I was still
writing and when the next book would be coming out. I can't tell you how much those
pings inspired me to pick up my pen, get back in the game and reacquaint myself
with my trusty old muse.

Currently, I'm enjoying the heck out of Pinterest! It's too bad the site
wasn't around when I published my earlier novels because creating a board for
the Favorite Things Trilogy has been loads and loads of fun! Visual aids never
go out of style, do they? And so my readers get to check out the characters'
sense of style, the cars they drive, the music they listen to and of course—lots
more of their favorite things! It's pretty neat!

Now I know there are those who say social
media's dumbed us down or made us lazy, but to that I say we need to accentuate
the positives and eliminate the negatives! The pluses far outweigh the minuses
when it comes to the convenience and ease of connecting and sharing with
others, whether they be long time friends, family members, or a new reader
who's discovering your books for the very first time...

Mayfair Island, Florida. Grief-stricken
after the sudden loss of her beloved grandmother, an enduring but
reclusive Hollywood icon, young Priscilla Bauer finds herself adrift and
looking to find solace in the arms of her vast inheritance, when she
meets the kind and considerate corporate brand designer, Michael Frost—a
drop dead gorgeous beacon of light in her all too dark night.

Falling
hard and falling fast, Priscilla has no idea she’s stepped into
dangerous territory...Because someone else has already branded Michael
Frost her very own—and she has no intention of ever letting him go.

About Millenia Black:Milleniais the bestselling author of the novels THE GREAT
PRETENDER and THE GREAT BETRAYAL. She loves to tell a compelling story
and is an avid reader. Heralded as a double life and relationship
expert, she's been a featured guest on radio shows across the country
discussing the 7 SMOKE SIGNALS YOUR MAN IS LIVING A DOUBLE LIFE, a nifty
e-book guide everyone should have!

Millenia is an alumni of
Keiser University and was born and raised in Florida where she still
resides today. She is currently working on BLUE SATIN SASHES, book two
of the sizzling FAVORITE THINGS trilogy!

Currently unmarried, Millenia has never dated anyone living a double life...she thinks.